Steam-engine



(No Model.)

D. E. CROSBY. STEAM ENGINE.

No. 434,143. Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

FIG. a

'Wdnesse'sn nvenl'ov:

- a crank of the shaft.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DARVIN E. CROSBY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 434,143, dated August 12, 1890.

Application tiled April 15 1890. Serial No. 347,967. (No model.)

T0 all whoml it may concern:

Be it known that I, DARWIN E. CROSBY, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference .to steam-engines; and it consists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is toconstruct an engine employing a number of cylinders arranged about a crank-shaft and to which the pistons of the respective cylinders are connected.

In carrying out my invention I arrange about a crank-shaft a number of cylinders, preferably four in number, and connect them in pairs, so that the pistons of the diametri@- ally-opposite cylinders are positively coupled together and provided with a connection with The connection is preferably formed by a slotted cross-head in which the crank-pin works. The friction and wear may be reduced and taken out by any of the usual means employed in connection with cranks of steam-engines. I prefer to arrange the pairs of cylinders at right angles to each other, so as to obtain as uniform an action as possible. In my construction the cylinders are secured to a single frame, which supports one end of the shaft and holds the cylinders in a vertical plane. This casting may be boxshaped, if desired. The cylinders are preferably single-acting, being open at the inner ends, and are each provided with a slide-valve, the slide-valves of all of the cylinders being operated by an eccentric or cam common to them all and rotated by the crank-shaft, so as to allow the steam to enter one cylinder simultaneously with the exhaust from the cylinder diametrically opposite, and also so as to allow the steam to enter the successive cylinders in rotation. A common steam-supply pipe is arranged to feed all of the valve-chests of the several cylinders and is provided with avalve, such as a throttle-valve, which is operated by a suitable governor, to control the supply of steam in accordance wit-h the demand to 0btain a uniform speed.

In the drawings, Figure ll is a sectional elevation on line a' of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line y y of Fig. l. I,

A is the main frame of the engine, and is preferably made box-shaped, and to it is bolted or otherwise secured the four cylinders arranged at right angles to each other, thel cross-heads (l are also arranged at right angles to each other. The crank E extends through both of said cross-heads, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2. Vhen the crank is on the deadcenter with respect to one pair of cylinders, it

is at its point of greatest leverage with respect to the other pair, and vice versa.

Each of the cylinders is provided with a valve-chest I, a steam-port J leading to the outer end of the cylinder, and an exhaustport K. L are valves in said valve-chest, and may be of the usual slide-valve type and adapted to supply steam to or from the cylinders. The several valves L are connected by valve-rods M with an eccentric strap or frame about the eccentric N, which is secured to the crank F, whereby all of the valves are operated from the same eccentric and shaft to control the supply of steam to and from th cylinders in rotative succession.

O is the steam-supply pipe and leads to all of the valve-chests, and is provided with a throttle-valve P, which may be controlled by a governor H on the crank-shaft F acting through a lever Q and rod R.

G is the power-wheel for transmitting power from the engine.

I do not limit myself 4to the exact details herein set out, as they may be modified without departing from the spiritof my invention.

Having now described my invention, WhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a steam-engine, the combination, with the crank-shaft, of a series of cylinders ar- IOO ranged about said crank-shaft, pistons forsaid of the engine, a governor H, for Operating the cylinders, piston-rods connecting. the pistons lever Q, and a connection R between the lever of said cylinders in pairs, a main steam-sup- -Q and valve P, substantlally as shown and ply pipe O for supplying steam to all of said described. 15

5 cylinders,valves to control the supplyof steam In jtestimony of which i nvention l hereunto from said pipe O to each of the cylinders, an set my hand. eccentric common to all of said cylinders for controlling the Valves therefor, a valve P in DARWIN E CROSBY' said main supply-pipe O for shutting off the Witnesses:

xo supply of steam to all of Jthe cylinders simul- ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER,

taneously, a lever Q, pivoted to the main frame MAURICE H. HOLMES. 

